Football Recap: Cesar Belmontes Key Part of Team Effort in Chargers Win

After losing to St. Joseph Academy the last time they met, Veterans Memorial decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The Chargers blew past the Bloodhounds 56-31 on Friday. Given the Chargers' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 285th, while the Bloodhounds are ranked 657th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.

Veterans Memorial's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Cesar Belmontes, who rushed for 166 yards and three TDs on only 13 carries. Belmontes' longest rush was for an impressive 60 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Calvin Trevillion was in the mix as well, providing Veterans Memorial with three scores.

Chargers

Rushing Yards

09/05/25 @ St. Joseph Academy	470
08/29/25 vs Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Memorial	419
11/22/24 vs Canyon	412
11/15/24 vs Edinburg	330
11/01/24 @ San Benito	332
+ 4 more games

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Veterans Memorial was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 470 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in October of 2024.

When it comes to explaining why St. Joseph Academy lost, don't look at Gavin Cisneros. Despite the final result, he rushed for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 8.5 yards per carry, and also threw for 191 yards and one TD. Andre Cristiano was another key player, rushing for 76 yards and one score.

Veterans Memorial has started the season off flawlessly and has a 2-0 record to show for it. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 52.5 points this season. As for St. Joseph Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 0-2.

Looking ahead, Veterans Memorial will welcome Rio Grande City at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. As for St. Joseph Academy, they will head out on the road to challenge Carroll at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.